Eating from the inside out!
by bleedingsilver
Summary: The joyride's started, Angelus is trying to take over again...Only this time he's out to prove something...I've changed the rating...I've decided to make it a little less graphic then i had planned...*UPDATED* R&R REVIEW PLEASE!
1. Somethings up

Disclaimer: Not mine.Yada. Blabla. you get the picture.  
  
Summery: Something is wrong with Angel.Gunn, Fred, Wesley and Cordy are trying to save him. The only problem is, this time, the only person who can save him is himself! (All I will say is: I'm fed up of the good side always winning!)  
  
Eating from the inside out  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Part 1: We will fix it  
  
"Oh my God!" Fred felt her eyes go wide and her mouth fall wide open. He wasn't moving. It was as if he was dead. But that was impossible because.because. "Wesley! Gunn! Help fast! HELPHELP!"  
  
Fred heard the stomping feet rushing up the stairs her eyes were teary what was wrong? What on earth could be wrong? The stomping feet stopped in front of the door, then it burst open.  
  
Wesley came into the room "What's wrong Fred?" "Are you OK?" Gunn echoed from behind him  
  
Fred nodded "I'm fine! It's just.Look at him! There is something wrong with him! He's not moving!"  
  
Both Gunn and Wesley look down at him. Gunn walks towards her and puts his arm around her "Fred he's dead, he doesn't move in his sleep!"  
  
Fred's eyes got teary her voice uncontrollably loud. Somehow hopping her shrieks would wake him up "Yes I know but-but lo-ook." she grabbed his arm and shook him violently, managing to make the whole bed rock and squeak. "Angel! Angel! Angel please wake up! Wake up!"  
  
Fred's eyes showered tears, while the two others stared on in astonishment. Angel didn't move an inch on his own. Not a single word left his lips. Not a single eyelid fluttered.  
  
Fred whirled around her mind running in a thousand different places at once: "Maybe he's in a coma.No that's not possible.Is it? Maybe he's hibernating like vampires do in books.No they don't really do that.Do they? Maybe it's a curse.Maybe-"  
  
Gunn put an arm "Fred, relax.Don't work yourself up! We will figure this out. We always manage to. Whatever is wrong.We will fix it. We always do." Fred's terrified eyes got sucked into the assurance of those in her partner's, though the tears continued flowing her heart fluttered and slowed a pace.  
  
Wesley looked at them, swallowing his pain he said. "Well we have to know what wrong before we can fix it! So we had better get to work.Fred.if you are feeling up to it. Maybe you could go make us some tea." Fred had been clinging to Gunn, her face buried deep into his shoulder but she pulled away and nodded "Yes, I- I can d-do that." Wesley nodded as she made her way downstairs. "Gunn, call Cordelia! Let her know what's happening. I'm going to hit the books." ~ * ~  
  
Part 2: Peek-a-boo! Guess who.  
  
Angel was walking in a large dank room.Somehow it seemed familiar like he had been here before. But it was a twisted and perverted plave. Whatever inhabited it was far from human.  
  
"Hello? Is anybody here? Hello?"  
  
There was no answer. He was not surprised. He continued walking and looking every once and awhile shouting and waiting for an answer. And finally he got one.It was not the answer he was looking for but it was an answer none the less. Somewhere in the distance he heard a song:  
  
"Little young Mary and her handsome husband Harry, Had three Joy filled children who lived down in the prairies. She raised them in love and bathed them in it too, but time came-a-callin' and left Mary a mournin'. Her husband passed away leavin' her a widow and her children rushed that mornin' and left her loud and callin'. One left to be a house wife, the other left to be a whore. the third happily left Mary to unite with a Moor. But sweet. Little Old Mary, what a wonderful Old lady, was always seen a- smilin'never secretly always winin'. Hopin' she'd be spared on that one fateful day.. Yet one cold winter's morning death came-a-callin', and Mary was spared no fate and simply went-a-fallin' "  
  
Angel tensed.He knew the voice.But also knew that it was impossible. The person he was hearing could not be who he thought! It couldn't! His feet started moving fast towards the sound then stopped. He looked and could see no one at all. But then for some reason he could not explain he turned around and a figure popped out from within a wall. It was in the dark but Angel knew who it was.  
  
His thoughts were only proved right by vehement laugh and the mocking tone in it's voice: "Peek-a-boo! Guess who." 


	2. Discoveries

DISCLAIMER: none of the characters are mine...  
  
SUMMERY: The Angel Investigations is hard at work, they've found a lead...But well are not so sure about it...As for Angel...Let's just say he's got quite a problem...  
  
PS: You are probably wondering about the rating...It will come in affect probably chapter 3...  
  
Chapter two   
  
Part 1:"Please give us a clue..."  
  
Cordy rushed through the door of the Hyperion "I'm sorry I took so long guys but there is a huge traffic jam...Is he OK? Has he woken up?"  
  
Wesley looked up from the books "No such luck I'm afraid..."  
  
"Oh! Ah! Wesley! Wesley! WESLY! I think Gunn found something!" Fred popped out from the back room book in her hand Gunn coming out right behind her...   
  
Gunn looked like he was about to belch "Another hour of looking through letter and picture filled books I would 'ave puked"  
  
Look at this she placed in front of him the large book her boyfriend had been searching through   
  
Gunn smiled feeling a little proud of himself "It's called an Omerta demon..."   
  
Wesley's eyes lit up "Of course! The Omerta! Legendary demons really...If they can really be called demons."  
  
Cordilia walked over and looked at the picture in the book "EEEWWWW!!! That is the ugliest thing I've have ever seen! And believe me I have seen a lot...Nothing that looks like that can be anything but demon!"  
  
Wesley laughed "Don't be too sure of that..."  
  
Fred looked at him "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well" Wesley continued "These... things they have a connection to The Powers That Be... they do their dirty work, thereby are not completely demons...Or so it is said... Whether that is true or if it is just a rumor in the demon underground that is something else... The only problem is ..." He looked up at them " they are supposed to be extinct... Not one has been seen for over 30 000 years...After a certain period and time, the powers did not need them therefor were rid of them..."  
  
Fred's eyes moved over the text in the book "Doesn't say that in here...Oh wait yes it does..."  
  
"I don't see it..." Fred looked at Cordelia and pointed to big block letters at the very end of the page reading * THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT*   
  
Cordy's mouth formed a perfect "O" then nodded "Well that's bad...Well you know... Maybe not bad but...well it puts a very brutal end to this solution..."   
  
Wesley shook his head "Let's not cancel this out just yet... It's our only lead..."  
  
"Ok... so what do we do?" Fred asked   
  
"Well... I Gunn how about going out and hit some demon bars-"  
  
Gunn smiled "Does hitting demon bars include hitting demons?"  
  
Wesley shrugged "I guess so..."  
  
Gunn smiled a slight bounce in his walk "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!"   
  
Wesley turned to Cordy "How about you pay a visit to Lorn, ask him if he's heard anything."  
  
Cordy looked down "Well I'd rather stay here and watch over Angel if that's Ok..."  
  
Fred nodded "Yeah, I'll take Lorn duty, I like Lorn he's nice..."  
  
Wesley shrugged "Suit yourself...I'll stay here and do some more digging..."  
  
With that the gang parted, with Fred and Gunn walking up the door, hugging then going there separate ways; Wesley slumping back down over his books and Cordelia walking up the stairs to Angel.  
  
She walked into the room and watched Angel straight lifeless face...She grabbed his hand and touching his cheek she bent and whispered in his ear  
  
"Angel...Angel can you hear me? Come on Angel... You are scaring all of us half to death... Please give us a clue..."  
  
Part 2:"...where the problem comes in..."  
  
  
  
"Well well well, looky what we have ... If it isn't Angel cake..." The voice whispered, it stayed in the dark but Angel knew he was sneering...   
  
"What the hell?!" was all Angel could mutter...  
  
"Aw common you moron! Is that all you can muster...After all the torture you have put me through and all you come up with is 'What the hell?!'!"  
  
"This isn't impossible...Where am I?..."  
  
The man in the shadows flung his head back and laughed, a loud wicked howl. Then looked down "Dear, dear me Angel! Aren't you getting dumber by the second... Can't even ask the right questions..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Angel question  
  
"What I mean, smart ass, is that you should bloody well know where you are..."  
  
The man stood in the shadows leaning against the wall he had just appeared through... "Take a good fucking look around you!" The voice growled angrily...  
  
Angel did take a look around. Like he had noticed before it was a dark and twisted place. Evil lurked and twirled...Evil was a little girl in here. All giddy and sheepish, but it was also pissed off. Dark vines grew over the walls and they looked nasty like dark veins terror the only life giving substance within it.  
  
"Dear God! I'm asleep! I'm dreaming!" Angel sounded astounded.   
  
The man was silent for awhile. Then exhaled he was obviously pissed off about something...  
  
"Well that's close enough...In a sense this is a dream but it's far more real- far more dangerous then a dream..." With that Angelus walked out of the shadows a huge grin on his face... "And that's what's going to make this soo much fun..."  
  
Angel huffed "I have no time for this..."  
  
Angelus laughed again, one of his long mocking snickers "What wrong Angel...You got places to burn? People to fuck?... Cause really, if that is the case I will be glad to let you go..." Angelus looked down and looked back up "But then again...that isn't the case is it? Oh, well guess you are stuck in wonderland..."  
  
Angel looked at him "What do you mean you won't let me go! This is my dream! My head! I decide when I want to leave! You can't stop me"  
  
Angelus rolled his eyes then shrugged "Fine, if leaving this place is as easy as squashing a bug...LEAVE! Just go ahead...Click your heals Dorothy! Tell me just how 'There is no place like home' maybe you'll be out of emerald city and into that mooky hotel of yours..."  
  
Angel didn't say anything he just stared...  
  
"What's wrong? Not as easy as you thought heh? Yeah, you know how I know" Angelus looked down then rushed towards Angel, he had vamped out "BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN HERE FOR THE LAST 100 AND SOME YEARS!!!!" He looked away   
  
"Sure I have had some brief interludes...But like I said they have been very BRIEF..."   
  
Angel looked at him "Yeah? So what? Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? You take over my body and-"  
  
Angelus stared at him with his golden feral eyes for awhile, then interrupted "You are really stuck on that aren't you? Really...This is not your body...it was once ours but now it's only mine! You are just a fucking virus making my unlife very fucking difficult!"  
  
"I'm a fucking virus! Me? You are the one who live off other people!"  
  
"Well you are the fucking one who lives off me!"   
  
"I want you dead!"  
  
Angelus smiled "Well Angel... I want you dead too..."   
  
Angel smiled back, their faces exactly the same, the only difference being the hellfire that burned in Angelus' eyes...   
  
"There is only one difference Angelus"  
  
"Oh really and what is that? Angel cake? You going to share your good deeds with me t'ill I die?"  
  
Angel smiled "No but I'm going to stake you t'ill you die."  
  
With that Angel lunged forward, a stake in hand aiming for Angelus' heart would be... Angelus stood back and gave Angel a round house kick sending the stake clattering to the floor. They sent each other punches and kicks which led them absolutely nowhere as the other always blocked it in time as if dancing some never-ending waltz. Angelus let Angel get in a final punch then backed up...  
  
"You know something Angel, you really shouldn't let your rage blind you so much...You get so dumb when you get emotional...It's pathetic really...Really terribly pathetic!"  
  
"You are the one who's pathetic Angelus...look at you locked in this place! You are never getting out and that's what kills you so much. You can't live with the fact that something as good as a soul could live with you...So close to you and you can't even do anything about it...You stole a soul's body an-  
  
Angelus snickered "Aw Angel, trying to beat me at my own game...Sorry SoulBoy! Never going to happen! The truth is, if I wasn't going to get out of here, you wouldn't be stuck in here! And you see... This body was never yours alone... I didn't steal this body, the soul in it gave it too me... Hmm Angel you have so much to learn... "  
  
Angel laughed "Sure, I'll learn everything after you leave...Or should I say t'ill you are dead-er..."  
  
"A see Soulboy, that's where the problem comes in...You can't kill me..."  
  
"And that's why you were backing away from the stake?"  
  
"Oh no, see, you can stake me and kill my mind... but what you forget is that it is me that is keeping you alive...Without me... Without the demon essence in me, you my little buddy are dead...You Soulboy have no body...Now you don't want that to happen now do you... A couple of years ago you would have excepted that fate. Accepted death over life...But not anymore... I know you better then anyone alive, or dead, on this planet Angel and I know that that is no longer something you want. You have ties to the earth world... And you can't let go. You aren't ready to die."  
  
"I would give myself up for my friends..."  
  
Angelus smiled "Yes I believe that...But you forget, this body, this mind is as much mine as it is yours, I can conjure up fireballs as easily as you thought up that stake...And we can be stuck in this eternal war of ours... So why don't we play nice, pretend to like each other while I explain the rules of the game..."  
  
Angel looked at him...Suspicion in his eyes...  
  
Angelus smiled looking quite like the angel his sister thought he was, the night he had risen to his new demon life "I promise...I'll play fair..."   
  
The Hellfire glittered in his dark eyes, telling Angel a different story. A story Angel knew a little too well. 


	3. Worries and tours

Chapter3: Eating from the inside out  
  
Part1: "He's not looking good!"  
  
Angel's whole body had tensed on the bed... She could tell by how the muscles in his neck had popped up. His brow was furrowed and his face was contorted in some form of grimace... Whatever was happening he wasn't having fun... Sweat trickled down his forehead yet when she touched his forehead he was still as cold as ice...  
  
Cordelia was getting more and more worried by the second... She frowned and spoke...  
  
"Come on honey...What's going on in there? Give us a sign Angel...Please..."  
  
Deciding to leave the room for two seconds Cordy walked out and looked down, over the railing to where Wesley was sitting and spoke "Wes, we got to do something... Fast...Whatever is happening with him...He's not looking good!"  
  
Part 2: "The most exiting tour..."  
  
Angel was still on his guard but he answered: "Yeah Ok...what is going on?"  
  
Angelus smiled "That's more like it Soulboy..."  
  
Angel was about to sit when Angelus stepped forward... "Don't bother, I'm gonna take you on a tour of my-jail cell..."  
  
Angel stood up "What's the point? I've been all around in this little place... There is nothing but darkness and solitude...All of which you belong in!"  
  
Angelus smiled a wicked grin "You have obviously been looking in all the wrong places...Follow me...You'll see that this 'little place' as you so blatantly put it, is not so 'little' at all...". Gesturing at Angel to follow him, Angelus turned and entered the wall, through which he had appeared and Angel followed.   
  
On the other side of the wall was a different world...If the last place was where evil lived... This is where evil was born...The walls were dripping red with blood, dead bodies lying everywhere...Guts hanging out, ripped tongues, lacerated or missing bodies... There was a living room, the major theme being torture...Leather chairs dark tables, not forgetting the manacles, knives and other torture equipment...  
  
Angel was repulsed, but he knew the place, he'd never actually been there but he knew the place...The setting was almost like poetry, dark twisted poetry...It had Angelus written all over it. It WAS Angelus...  
  
"What are we doing here?" Angel questioned  
  
Seeing the disgust in Angel's face Angelus smiled "Ow, Angel! Why? Don't you like it?" Angelus pretended to be hurt...  
  
Angel had had just about enough shooting forward slightly he warned "Listen here, you Son-of-a-bitch-"  
  
Angelus laughed "Hey... temper temper!" he mocked "I already explained the first rule: No killing..."  
  
"Don't tempt me DEMON..." Angel warned   
  
"Don't toot your horn 'CHAMPION'!" he retorted  
  
Angel fumed but Angelus didn't give him a chance to answer instead he snapped his fingers and the bloodied walls became bloodied doors...One beside another, some on top of others...  
  
"This is the part of the game you should worry about, you are here so I can prove to you that this is my body not yours. I'm also going to try to convince you to stay...Oh, and there is only one rule apart from the 'No-Killing-Me' rule...the rule is: HAVE FUN...I'm about to take you on the most exiting tour of your unlife..."  
  
With that Angelus smiled...The smile looked so innocent, but Angle knew behind that smile all hell was impatiently waiting to jump at him like a hungry beast...He was not stupid...But whatever Angelus was up to... He could take it, and whatever happened he was sure Cordy, Wes, Fred and Gunn would get him out in time. They always manage to save his ass, when he wasn't saving theirs... 


	4. Moving the game up

Disclaimer: Not mine! Don't rub it in.  
  
Also from Birdless to rememberest is the first stanza of apoem called "Tutto e Sciolto" by James Joyce.  
  
Feedback: More feedback would be nice. PLEASE  
  
Summery: Gunn is in town banging up demons for information, Fred is talking to Lorn while Cordy and Wes are at Hyperion doing what they need to do...Meanwhile Angelus is giving Angel that tour he promised him...The fun's already started...  
  
Eating from the inside out!!  
  
Chapter 4:   
  
Part 1: "X marks the spot"  
  
Angelus was standing in front of a door, his hand wavering just inches from it's bloodied knob... he watched Angel intently "Remember when I asked if you were going to share you're good deeds with me t'ill I died?" Angel did not answer simply looking away seeming very uninterested "Well, I've decided that that is not such a bad idea..." Angel was still playing deaf. Angelus didn't care... grabbed the knob he smiled a secret smile that Angel could not see as he was standing behind Angelus... the Angelus said " I'm talking blast from the past..."  
  
That got Angel's attention. He whirled around "What? What are you talking about?" Angelus was smiling maliciously, he did not answer. Angel knew why, he had ignored Angelus. Angelus hated being ignored therefor, in his mind, Angel's reaction was too little too late. Instead Angelus stepped aside and immediately Angel felt the pull before he could react he was sucked into the door. Angelus smiled and waved good-buy.  
  
Angel had his eyes closed but he could here Angelus, he didn't know where he was. Angelus wasn't sucked in with him but his voice was loud, clear and mocking:   
  
"A birdless heaven, seadusk, one lone star  
  
Piercing the west,  
  
As thou, fond heart, love's time, so faint, so far,  
  
Rememberest."  
  
Angel shuddered at the words, and wondered for a brief instant at the choice of the poem. Angelus never picked anything whimsically as Buffy and Giles had thought. It was always precise and thought out. In hopes of getting the best and most reaction out of the person.   
  
Open your eyes fool!  
  
For some reason Angel obeyed Angelus. He didn't know why, but what he saw made him gasp and accidentally bite his tongue. He cried out in pain. All around him where visions of his past life... Both as Liam and as Angelus. The pictures began dissipating into each other. As though they had been shredded by a blender. Then as this happened he was engulfed with a red flame and though it did not hurt Angel could feel the scolding hot heat burn his skin. Within the fire and further off in the distance, there were two black jagged lines forming an X in the distance. Angel got closer and closer to it and as he did so he got sicker, his stomach clenching... Something horrible was waiting behind there. Angel knew it, his whole body knew it and was searching for a way to shriek in horror. Angel would not allow it.  
  
When he finally reached the X he was eaten by black fog, he felt his feet touch ground. And as the fog slowly cleared Angel's stomach released it's pent-up tension and he gagged.   
  
He was in hell! Trust Angelus! He was in hell!  
  
Angelus appeared in beside him and using the Irish brogue that Angel tried so hard to avoid he said   
  
"Ya kno' Angel...Always, X marks the spot!"   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Part 2: "What's happening?"  
  
Cordelia flinched, "OOOOWWWW!" she had been holding on to Angel's hand which had been lifeless until now. Suddenly it came to life, gripping her hand tight enough to crush bone. Cordilia Screamed "Wwweeessllyy! Help! Please!"   
  
From downstairs she heard a loud crash, it sounded like a stack of books falling to the floor, then came loud thumping feet. Cordelia's mouth dropped as Angel's skin went from pale white to bright red...   
  
"Oh God Wes hurry up!"  
  
"What's wrong? What happened?"  
  
"Look at him! Look! He won't let go of my hand! He's hurting me!" As soon as she said that Angel let go his death grasp and rolled over to his side, blood spilling out of his mouth.   
  
Cordelia screeched and jumped back.  
  
"Dear Lord! What's happening"  
  
Cordelia shrugged "I don't know he just started like this right know! I don't know!" tears sprang from her eyes "Oh God Wesley! What's happening to him? What's happening?"  
  
Wes was silent then put and arm around her shoulders, turning his back on Angel he hugged her.   
  
"We'll figure this out! We'll help him"   
  
"Ok...I'm just so worried..."  
  
"I know we all are...Why don't you rest? You're going to stress yourself out."  
  
"No, somebody has to watch him. Anyway he's all red right know, he's burnt...I'll just go get some water and cool him down."  
  
Wes nodded "Ok, you do that..."  
  
Part 3: "Doesn't stand a fleeting chance!"  
  
This was the third demon bar he had been to and he still hadn't found anything out. As far as Gunn was concerned this was getting damn straight ridiculous. Normally they would have found something out by now.   
  
Gunn walked into the bar and sat down on the side of the bar trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. As the demon bar tender turned around asking   
  
"How can I he-" He trailed off before finishing the sentence "Gunn" he said in an overly pleasant manner "What can I do for you?"   
  
Gunn smiled "Well you can start by wiping the guilty smile of your face and start spilling your guts unless you would like me to do that for you!"  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"Don't act stupid Snorg, you know exactly what I'm talking about..." in fact Gunn didn't know if Snorg did or did not know what he was talking about. But letting the demon in on that piece of info would do him no good...  
  
"Really I don't!"  
  
"You haven't heard anything about an evil ass Omerta demons lurking around..."  
  
Snorg's face was blank. Gunn knew for sure that he was not faking it. He had dealt with Snorg long enough to know that when he was lying the hair like tentacles that hung over his left eye sagged forward where as when he was telling the truth they sunk into the many folds of his skin. Right now they were in his skin and sinking deeper.  
  
Gunn nodded "Ok... so you don't know anything...But can you tell me anything in specific about the Omerta?"   
  
Snorg was a feeble demon but he knew a lot of beings in both high and low(extremely low) places. That is what had kept him alive and that made him so juicy when it came to information.   
  
Snorg shrugged "Yeah, the Omerta is but one of the names given to those demons... Over the centuries they had many names including, Grokins, Zzeedma and all sorts of-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah...I'm sure Wesley could tell me all that just fine! Is there anything else, important that I need to know. Something that might help me deal with these things."  
  
Once again the demon shrugged "Well first off they are said to be extinct...But I doubt that! It is impossible for the Omertas to be extinct...their essence, in general, is still alive."  
  
"Ok...Wow! Rewind...What the fucking hell are you talking about?"  
  
Snorg breathed in and out sharply, Gunn gagged demon breath...Smelt like raw, rotting meat. He said nothing.  
  
"I'm sure you know that Omerta demons attack people in their sleep?" Gunn nodded   
  
"That much we already knew."  
  
"Yes well...it is for that reason the Powers used them. They attacked people when they were completely defenseless... Going head on with an Omerta demon in a dream meant certain death. But after a certain time, after the most horrible demons, and The First was put back into the burning pit of hell the powers needed these demons less and less...So little by little the exterminated them. But the essence of these demons is still on earth...Every time a person has a nightmare about anything it is the essence of an Omerta crawling into them, trying to take control of their body..."  
  
"So these demons are no longer physically here, but they are in fact still here...Kinda of like dead person who hasn't moved on..."  
  
"Yeah something like that."   
  
"Ok...Anything else?"  
  
"Yeah, they were not too bright...Another reason why the powers loved them...And they usually worked for a prize...that's really all I can tell you. It's all I know..."  
  
Gunn looked at him suspiciously "Is it all that you know or all that you will tell me? It can't be both!"  
  
"It's all that I know!" Snorg insisted  
  
"Tell me the truth! Is it really or am I going to have to smack you around?" His voice had risen blowing his 'inconspicuous' cover...  
  
'It's all that I know man! And please don't smack me! I've got a terrible headache and I've been really forthcoming!"  
  
Gunn had to give it to the demon he hadn't given him much trouble... Suspicion flared in him even more  
  
"And why exactly are you so forthcoming?"  
  
The demon smiled somewhat maliciously and answered frankly "Because your friend doesn't stand a fleeting chance!"  
  
Gunn believed him... Getting up, he punched the demon (for the heck of it). Sent it flying then walked out of the bar and headed back to the Hyperion 


	5. Show me your world

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine...Also, the flash back is not mine, I got it from the beginning of "Becoming 1" on Buffy... I've got the exact words and everything...  
  
Summery: Angelus takes Angel on a mind trip...To the past...to the day he was turned  
  
PS: Everytime you see a ******** parting passages it's because I'm moving between time. In other words I'm going from present to past or vice versa...  
  
If you see a ~ I am adding what Angel sees or thinks while he is watching the images, there will be another one when the thought or whatever it is is finished...  
  
Eating from the inside out  
  
Chapter 5: "Show me your world..."  
  
Angel's clenched his jaw...  
  
"What are you doing Angelus?" Angel croaked "What are you getting at?"  
  
" Watch!" Angelus was obviously not going to drop the Irish accent anytime soon  
  
"I know what's going to happen skip it and get down to business!"  
  
"Sorry lad, yer just goin' ta have ta watch...Ye need ta see this..."  
  
Angel flinched as he watched the dark cobled street and the alleyway in the distance, then his eyes came to settle on the wooden pub door. He shuddered and it began...  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Galway, 1753  
  
The pub door flung open and a man flew out, he stumbled out trying not to fall; after him a second man was pushed out by a yelling bartender. When the two were out the bartender turned around and marched back indoors slamming the wooden door behind him. The second man turned and ran to the door while bagging on it he shouted:  
  
"We'll come back when we've a little more money...Keep the girls warm."   
  
Turning he turned to his falling friend and helped him to stand then they walked together away from the bar the second man spoke to the first:  
  
"Come on, we'll sneak in and steel some of me father's silver...He'll never miss it! He it's with his hands, the pig..."   
  
It seemed, however, his friend had something else in mind, he staggered a few steps back, then forward. Liam however did not seem to notice, his eyes were fixed elsewhere in the distance...There was something there, something he hadn't seen yet but knew that he wanted to see. His friend continued staggering but lost the fight and pasted out cold as he fell... That got Liam's attention. He looked at his fallen friend and gestured at him   
  
"Why don't ya rest right here." It was more of a statement then it was sentence. But then Liam felt something and he looked up, his eyes roaming the area. Then he saw her.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Angel's knees were week, Angelus was snickering, knowing very well the hate Angel was going through. The image before him paused. Angelus turned to him  
  
"You know what's going to happen...isn't it just lovely?" Angel swallowed, guilt and horror crawling in and on him like starving scarabs.  
  
"Stop this!" he ordered  
  
Angelus never stopped snickering "Sorry lad, the games 'ave already begun..."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
She was wearing a white dress with pink lacing. Her golden hair was pinned up while strands of it fell fluidly down her back. Her figure was flawless and her skin pale; she stood with her head slightly turned so that he could see her pink cheeks and the beauty of her face. She stood in the beginning of and alleyway, her surrounding was dark and only a lantern placed above her lit her form.  
  
Liam was taken by her immediately, expensive clothes let him know that she was by all means someone of high standing. What really got him was that she was standing in one of the most infamous streets in that part of town. The woman swayed her hips as if calling him then moved forward.   
  
Liam followed her into the alley his feet moving as fast and as steadily as they could in his drunken state. Reaching the alleyway he halted, she was a little further in the distance but had not strayed too far. She had obviously wanted him to follow.  
  
Liam turned to face the lady who had her back towards him. His feet still slightly wobbly and his footing unsure he spoke:  
  
"So, I'd ask meself, What is a lady of yer station doin' alone in an alley with the reputation that this one has?"  
  
The lady turned "Maybe she's lonely..."  
  
"In that case I'd offer meself as escort to protect ya from harm" he continued with an insinuating voice "and to wile away the dull hours"  
  
The lady smiled at him "You're very gracious."  
  
"Well, that's often been said..." Liam lied  
  
"Are you certain you're up to the challenge?" she asked sweetly her silky voice rapping him up.  
  
"M'lady, you'll find that with the exception of an honest days work, there is no challenge I'm not prepared to face..."   
  
************************************************************************  
  
The pictures stopped in front of Angel and he turned to look at Angelus, his knees had gone week.  
  
"Stop this game! Stop!" Angel knew it was not worth it. There was no way in hell Angelus would let go...No way!   
  
"Ah, Angel... See, when I was taking a stroll down memory lane I fell in love with this particular memory...Not only because it was the first time that I met Darla but also because it was the first time that YOU Soulboy met her as well..."  
  
Angel was confused...Angelus couldn't have met Darla then because he wasn't part of Liam at the time. Angelus came to be after Liam's death and his soul, Angel in sorts, left his body; the demon took over, Angelus was born and then he met Darla...  
  
"That's bullshit Angelus! You didn't meet Darla until after Liam died! Until after Darla killed me, him-us- and put gave me her blood!"  
  
"That's where you're wrong...You and I were one and the same at this time!"  
  
"More crap Angelus! You are lying! That is a flat out lie!"  
  
Angelus snorted "You and I both know Angel, I don't lie...I'm a terrible liar. Darla knew it and so do you! "  
  
Angel looked at him, he knew it was true Angelus didn't know how to lie. He would, or rather he * could * only tell truths that were poisoned and twisted by his vision.  
  
"So this is just twisted your twisted idea of truth!" This is ridiculous  
  
Angelus laughed '"Oh, you do wish that don't you! But this is not twisted it's the truth...As truthful as it comes... I don't want to drag this out... I want you to see the truth in Liam's eyes...In what used to be our eyes... A human, a mortal man is not just made up of a soul...If man were purely soul, he would be perfect...It says so in the bible... Man is made up of soul and sin..." Angelus smiled "Sin, at that particular time was me...You pretty boy were his soul..."  
  
"Where are you going with this"  
  
"Bare with me speedo! I'm trying to get this through that head of yours. You were his good part, I was his evil part...That sin was my matrix...Darla's blood just gave that sin the means to come to it's potential...Don't you see?"  
  
Angel shook his head "That's not tr-"  
  
"It's not true? NOT TRUE? So a human must be perfect! That's why so many times humans turn their back on each other...That's why there's enough murder and mayhem caused by human hands to keep the many devils in hell so fucking amused! Because they are so damn perfect!"   
  
Angelus watched him with feral eyes, his lips drawn back baring his fangs in anger. Angel did not answer.  
  
  
  
"Now that we've got that cleared-"  
  
"I haven't agreed!" Angel retorted but he began feeling sicker then before  
  
"You don't have to agree! It's a fact...But then you'll see it in due time... Now some peoples' souls are simply better welded, stronger then others. Those souls are more capable of keeping their 'sin' at bay...While others can not... Your soul was one of the weak ones...Your soul gave in to it's sin, to it's inner demon, and in the end wanted exactly what it's inner demon wanted... it gave up it's existence, gave up it's body to be led completely by me! Most souls fight to the very end, but yours excepted it...No arguments."  
  
"Then why is my soul so strong now? If everything you are saying is true, which I don't believe it is, why have I changed?"  
  
"Time my friend, time is you're deepest ally, it gives you experience- "  
  
"But I wasn't in this body according to you...'  
  
"No your soul was not but your mind was... See we share the same mind. It comes with the whole body package. So your conscience grew though you, the soul, was not there...It was pumped but with no output... sort of like a revving car with no driver, the gas is feeding it, it's ready to go but it can't get anywhere cause there is nothing to floor it! Nothing to steer it...That's why it hurts...That's why you, the soul, became stronger when you were re-inserted. You had the past to feel pain, seen the torture in the world on it's own and the torture you put in yourself...Motivation...the gas was floored..."  
  
Angel shook his head, Angelus shrugged...  
  
"Anyway I often wondered when you, the soul, at the time you were faced with Darla, gave in to her. If you had actually realized that she was wrong, that something was awfully terribly wrong! You did...It was all written in Liam's eyes. All of it and he just let go...You just let go, and gave everything up...TO ME!"  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Liam had approached her and was now only inches apart from her. Their bodies so close that it had become inappropriate.The woman did not step back or step forward she stood there and stared back at him  
  
~ Angel was watching Liam's eyes as the human approached Darla, he could see a glow there. Something bright, filled with wonder. ~   
  
He placed his hands on her cheek, caressing her face with his thumb.  
  
"Oh, but you're a pretty thing. Where are ya from?" Liam asked  
  
"Around, everywhere..."  
  
~ He watched the glow brightened, and grow and grow until it was illuminant like a sun in the human's eyes. ~  
  
"I've never been anywhere meself, I've always wanted to see the world but"  
  
~Angel remembered the need that the human had...The need to see the world, to know so much. To see so much... He remembered, but he also remembered the fact that Liam knew he had no chance of ever seeing the world. Liam knew that he would die in Ireland like his ancestors before him...As this realization came over the man, Angel saw Liam let go; the light in his eyes blinking out into nothing. The sun vanished, without leaving a single trace...The soul had let go...He had let go...but then: ~  
  
Darla smiled "I could show you.."  
  
~ Hope blinked into his eyes again, but it was not hope lit by the sun...Not at all~  
  
"Could you then?" Liam questioned  
  
~ Before Liam answered, another realization dawned deep within the human's eyes. The flash of the truth that there was something unnatural about this woman... ~  
  
"Things you've never seen, never even heard of" she continued  
  
~ Something terribly horribly wrong...It glittered in her cold beautiful eyes, it glittered in her white flashing smile...Something evil, something monstrous...~  
  
"Sounds exitin'" Liam answered  
  
"It is...And frightening" Darla added  
  
~ Angel saw that Liam just didn't care...Liam couldn't have cared less... It had all gone from him nothing was left... Not a bit... Not anymore. ~  
  
"I'm not afraid, show me... Show me your world..."  
  
"Close your eyes" Darla whispered  
  
Liam obeyed, he shut his eyes and Darla morphed in front of him then revealing her fangs she sunk them into his neck and gave to Liam what the all the good in the world could not give to him... And took from him his only hope of salvation in the world...  
  
As he died Liam fell to his knees...Darla made a shallow cut just above the revealed tops of her breasts from wish Liam tasted, for the first time, the demon's means and meaning of existence. 


End file.
